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Pearson reveling in life with new coach

ATHLETICS: Any athletics coach can see when their charge is running
well. Sally Pearson's new coach can hear it too.

The Olympic
100m hurdles champion shocked the Australian track and field scene last month
when she split with Sharon Hannan, ending a hugely successful 14-year
partnership.

Pearson briefly toyed with the idea of moving interstate or overseas, but her
clear preference was to remain on the Gold Coast.

That led her to longtime training partner Antony Drinkwater-Newman, a friend of
Pearson and her husband Kieran from their days at Helensvale High School.

As a national level hurdler himself, Drinkwater-Newman brings a different
perspective to coaching one of the best-known athletes on the planet.

"Some coaches believe you can't be a training partner because they have to
have their eyes on you the whole time but at the end of the day I've been doing
this for a very long time," Pearson said on Thursday at the launch of her
book Sally Pearson - Believe.

"I've got a really good feel of my body and what I do and technique-wise.

"We're not even starting any technique work for a little while anyway.

"when that does happen he will have to step back out from that role a
little more and be more of an eyes-on coach.

"... When we were training the other day he was doing 400m reps and he
said `your rhythm in that one was so much better, with your running, I can hear
your steps'.

"It's really encouraging to know he has that good ear for the sport."

Under Hannan's watch, Pearson won every major title on offer, with their last
major meet together producing a silver medal behind flying American Brianna
Rollins at the world championships in Moscow in August.

Understandably, Drinkwater-Newman doesn't intend to make wholesale alterations
to her training program.

"Sally has got a winning formula and we'll be sticking to that, we won't
be changing too much," he said.

"The biggest thing for me is enjoying it and making sure Sally enjoys it.

"If we both stick to that then that is where the success will come
from."

Pearson can already feel the difference.

"I've spoken to a lot of coaches over the years and it's always refreshing
to hear about different approaches to training," she said.

"Not that I ever questioned Sharon's motives, but you always like to ask
questions and find out different perspectives on things.

"I came to realise that after 14 years maybe it was time for a fresh approach.

"I am absolutely loving what I'm doing, not thinking about it as a chore
or work.

"I just love to get up in the morning.

"And he's my training partner at the moment, so whatever he puts down on
paper he has to do it as well."